TOWSON, Md. – Jamie Cassidy connected for a game-high 30 points and pulled down 12 rebounds Saturday afternoon, powering the University of Maine to a 93-64 America East women’s basketball victory over Towson at the Towson Center.
Cassidy, who registered her 12th double-double of the season, helped coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie’s Black Bears improve to 20-5 overall, 16-1 in conference play. This marks the sixth consecutive 20-win season for UMaine.
The Bears, who have won five in a row, shot 53 percent from the field and converted 24 of 28 free throws (.857) while outrebounding the Tigers 45-28. Towson, which dropped its fifth straight, slipped to 10-15 and 5-12, respectively.
UMaine, which has wrapped up the No. 1 seed for the America East Championship at Burlington, Vt., next month, closes out the regular season with a Thursday night game against Hartford at Alfond Arena in Orono.
Maine’s Kristen McCormick continued her hot 3-point shooting, making four of five from beyond the arc on her way to 18 points. Martina Tinklova contributed 11 points and six rebounds and Kelly Bowman added 11 points for the Bears.
Amy Vachon handed out seven assists with only one turnover.
Shniece Perry led the way for Towson with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Mylisa Pilione tossed in 14 points, including four 3-pointers, while Jill McGowan added 12 points.
Leading 47-39 at intermission, UMaine turned up the defensive intensity in the second half, limiting the Tigers to 25 points on 29 percent shooting. Maine finally established a more comfortable cushion on the scoreboard behind a 15-6 scoring run starting at the 16:40 mark of the second half.
Cassidy, the fifth-leading scorer in NCAA Division I play, opened the run with a jumper, then answered a basket by Towson’s Jess Gordon by scoring a pair of layups 32 seconds apart. Faith Jones countered for the Tigers, but Cassidy continued her dominance by making two foul shots and a short jumper.
Michele Lanigan connected for Towson, but McCormick buried the third of her four 3-pointers and Tinklova scored from close range to give UMaine a 68-49 advantage with 10:49 to play.
Black Bears 93, Tigers 64
Maine women (20-5) Towson (10-15)
Name G AG F AF TP Name G AG F AF TP
Lopez 1 5 3 3 5 Welsing 0 0 0 0 0
A. Clark 3 7 3 4 9 Stevens 1 2 0 2 2
Cassidy 12 15 6 6 30 Perry 7 10 4 5 18
McCormick 6 9 2 3 18 McGowan 4 16 1 2 12
Vachon 1 6 2 4 4 Lanigan 2 6 0 0 4
Macream 0 0 3 3 3 Wright 0 3 0 0 0
K. Clark 0 0 2 2 2 Simpson 2 3 0 2 4
Bowman 4 8 2 2 11 Jones 1 2 0 0 2
Guerrette 0 0 0 0 0 Pilione 5 13 0 0 14
Tinklova 5 8 1 1 11 Gordon 3 9 2 4 8
Moldre 0 2 0 0 0
Totals 32 60 24 28 93 Totals 25 64 7 15 64
Maine 47 93
Towson 39 64
3-pt. goals: Maine (5-9): McCormick 4-5, Vachon 0-1, Bowman 1-3; Towson (7-20): Perry 0-1, McGowan 3-12, Pilione 4-7
Attendance: 334
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